Warriors High (Partially Written by Shadows n Frost)
by Azureflower
Summary: It was a normal morning for Foxleap. Coffee, prank plans... the usual. Little did he know that night his life would change. Little did he know that espresso would be the last he ever had. Welcome to Warriors High. Try not to get mixed up in the wrong crew... it might cost you your life.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all, it's Azzie. If you are a fan of Shadows n Frost, the writer, then you were upset when he discontinued his Warrior High story, which rocked. However... I have gotten permission from the author to adopt this story and continue it, so as of today I have** **two** **Warrior High AUs- Clan High, (mine) and Warrior High. (Shadows N Frost/mine) Please enjoy them. Clan High's next update will be August 2, on a bimonthly update schedule for a little while, and Warrior High is monthly as I work through the first 5 or 6 chapters. I swear to StarClan and to Frostie here I will not give up until I have finished it.**

 **#milkballoons-**

 **Azzie**

filler filler filler filler filler filler

 ** _Breezepelt_**

Foxleap. Frickin'. DARED to DARE ME, the ALMIGHTY BREEZEPELT, to KISS IVYPOOL (I'm cool with the kiss) and then PUNCH HER FACE!? UGH! And yes, I will admit that the Crowie and the Cream Cheese prank was epic. I applaud Foxleap for that. But he's still a Thunder House grade-a jerk! But not only did he do THAT, he gave me a truth...

 _flashback flashback flashback_

 _"_

 _Foxleap: Do you like... Ivypool?_

 _Me: Um... well..._

 _He prompted me to say more. "Wow, Breezepelt, so tough." he said sardonically. I couldn't read Ivypool's gaze at this point. What was I going to do?_

 _You can't back down from a truth. I know that much. So I prepare myself for the answer._

 _And possible doom..._

 _"Yeah, I guess..." There, I said it. Happy?_

 _"I can't hear you..." the evil ginger goads._

 _Yup. Imminent doom. I am dead. RIP Breeze Boy. All my stuff goes to Heathertail. Goodbye cruel world... not so much_

 _Foxleap..._

 _"YES! I said yes!" My face must be a tomato by now. Everyone else is in hysterics. Foxleap's face turns even more conspiratal. "Well then, if you LOVE Ivypool so much..." He laughs maniacally._

 ** _(A/N: The upcoming dare is courtesy of... MOI! In this section of C5 ((written by Frost here)) Shadow featured some dares from the reviewers. And this one was my idea. *preens* No, but I owe this story to Frostie anyway. This wouldn't exist without you, Frostie. I'm just supporting your work.)_**

 _Oh no. Oh no no no._

 _"I dare you to KISS IVYPOOL-"_

 _I cut him off. "Is that all? No problem." I walk over to Ivypool. "Pucker up, beautiful."'_

 _Foxleap continues to laugh. "Um. I wasn't finished, lover boy."_

 _"Oh yeah? What's the rest, punk?" I spit. "Whoa, say it, don't spray it, breh." he chuckles._

 _"Kiss Ivypool... then punch her in the face."_

 _end flashback_

Yeah, did NOT end well. Even Jayfeather had a good time. That's how I know my life is crap. I stomp through the night. Ugh!

* * *

 _IVYPOOL_

frick it. That was humiliating.

I have to admit I feel something for Breezepelt. But it's not love. More like... hatred. Yeah. Hatred.

Waching him storm down the shady sidewalk, I feel a twinge of pity...

Foxleap looks upset that Breezepelt didn't take the dare. "That would have been so epic!" he whines. I feel bad for him too.

"Well, night..." I turn to see Cinderheart heading for the door. "Night!" "See you!" "Have a safe trip!" choruses from around the room. I notice that Foxleap hasn't said anything yet...

And that's when I see the familiar glint in his eye.

"Wait, Cinder, don't open tha-"

"AARGH!"

A bucket of red- not just maroon, not just pink, but full-blown fire-engine red, tomato red, candy apple red- pours down on her face, shoulders and eyes. Foxleap caclkes as she groans in pain and anger. "BAHAHAHAHAHA! You should have seen your face!" He wipes a tear from his eye. "Priceless!"

"Um, you CAN'T see her face, dummy." I hear Lionblaze's voice from behind me. I turn to see... uh-oh.

Foxleap is still facing Cinderheart. Better just ride this out... bwahaha.

"Because not only is HER face covered in paint..." Foxleap turns. His eyes widen as he notices that LIONBLAZE "mysteriously" found a can of BRIGHT BLUE paint and is aiming it at him.

"Yours is too. Pucker up, pretty boy." And with that, Foxleap is uncerimoniously covered in bright blue paint. The crowd bursts out laughing. "MY FACE! MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!" yells Foxleap. As more paint flies, and Foxleap runs for the bathroom, I grab a paint can- magenta, I note- and join in the fun.

What a perfect end to the night.

* * *

AND SCENE! Thank you to Shadows n Frost once again for the story... arivaderci until July 25!

AZZIE GIRL OUT!


	2. Chapter 2: Seven Foxleaps and one Breeze

**Thank you to Azakratz, Mintblast, and the CREATOR HERSELF Shadows N Frost! This chapter contains swearing and later I will include Breeze Cinder... I kinda want to try that because it's getting hard for me to read CinderBlaze (though I love that ship 3) without feeling like it's overused.**

* * *

CINDERHEART!

I groaned as I shut my dorm behind me. I got a bucket of paint to the bod, thanks to a certain ginger. Racing to the shower, I am quick to pull off my T-shirt and jeans and pull on a bathrobe. I hold up the filthy clothing.

"Foxleap... you ruined my favorite shirt..." See, it's a pale green tee with a low-cut hexagon neckline and a hot-pink nickel-sized Nike mark over the left side of my chest. And now it's stained, maybe permanently depending on what kind of paint he used. If it was acrylic or Crayola, I should be fine. If it was the kind you use on a house or car... I'm screwed.

I quickly remove my bra, shorts, and underwear and change into a white cami and plaid pajama pants, then race down the teal-painted hallway to the laundry room. I'll shower after I dump my stuff in the bin- I don't want it to stain.

Once the machine is whirring away, I sprint down the hallway back to my room- but as I turn the corner-

"Oof!"

I clench my forehead in agony as I look up at a very pained... Breezepelt? The punk is gritting his teeth and glaring at me through slitted eyes.

"Watch where you're going, _bitch."_ he snarls. I lean forward.

"Oh, so you're calling me a bitch? Your daddy left your mommy for somebody else cause he never loved her, so you're a bastard, when MY parents are HAPPY and in LOVE." I spit. "And you have the guts to call me a BITCH, you BASTARD?!"

He's speechless with shock. I lean back in satisfaction as he splutters to come up with a retiliation. "Didn't think so." I smirk, and flounce back to my room to take a shower.

* * *

FOXLEAP!

After taking a long shower (MY FACE IS STILL BURNING! I MAY BE SCARRED!) I crash onto my bed. My inner Foxleaps speak from there.

PRANKSTER FOXLEAP: ooh! he got you good breh

VAIN FOXLEAP: BUT OUR FACE! IT MAY BE DAMAGED! *pulls out mirror* I CAN ALREADY SEE THE FRECKLES!

ANGRY FOXLEAP: MRAAAAH! HOW DARE HE THAT LITTLE CONNIVING SCHEMER AGHGUIGUDI&

PEACEFUL FOXLEAP: Can't we all just get along? It was a lot of fun, come on...

FRIENDLY FOXLEAP: Yeah, guys

Angry/Prankster/Vain FLP: NO!

Peaceful/friendly FLP: *deleted because Foxleap isn't peaceful OR friendly*

SAD FOXLEAP: I shouldn't have done that...

PRANKSTER FOXLEAP: Oh come on! It was awesome! Did you guys SEE her face?! Hilarious!

VAIN FOXLEAP: BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR FACE:

EVERYONE ELSE: SHUT UP!

REASONABLE FOXLEAP *nonexistent*

KIND FOXLEAP *NONEXISTENT*

TIRED FOXLEAP *changes to Foxleap in a hula skirt, bra and lei dancing on a beach dream*

Oof. Help me.

* * *

See you on 8/25!

AZUREFLOWER OUT!


	3. Chapter 3: The After Party Is Planned

_**Breezepelt (Also I tied in some School For good And Evil twists and killed off Breezepelt has a sister...)**_

I don't give a flying frick what anyone says about me, no matter how biased or wrong they may be. Except what really hurt about Cinderheart's comment was that it was _true._

My father fell in love with a healer from the Lightning clinic. She wasn't beautiful, but she was sweet and honest and kind, and my father loved her not for her beauty but for her heart. She did give birth to triplets, and you would think at first glance they were hers and her husband's...

But look at how they moved, how they acted, their personalities, and you could clearly see that they were my father's.

And Nightcloud watched them, fuming, as every sunrise my father ignored her, and looked lovingly upon the kind nurse at the Lightning clinic, playing in her front yard with her two perfect sons and daughter, and she and my sister Birdsong tried so hard to make themselves beautiful, perfect, good and devout...

But it was all for nothing. As the days faded into months and years, Nightcloud slowly began to waste away, becoming a shell of her former self. And finally, when my sister and I were fourteen...

She died.

And my sister followed soon after. All Bird had ever wanted to be was like my mother, idolizing her, telling herself our mother was kind and loving and absolutely perfect. she couldn't see our family was falling apart from the inside out.

So every night, I trained in the dark, growing stronger so that I could fix what _he_ broke. So that I could get revenge on him for tearing our family apart. BUt I never succeeded. And that brings me to today...

After Cinderheart's comment, I typed up my resignation to the Dark Forest. Because fixing a family is like fixing a broken mirror... you can try and put it back the way it was before, but the cracks will always be there. What she said was true. I'm a lying bastard. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...

 ** _LIONBLAZE_**

I get to my room and collapse on the bed. What a night! Paint spikes my "swoosh", as I named my signature hairstyle after Mack Thunderman's hairdo when I was eleven... that's beside the point. Jayfeather went home with Half Moon (heh heh heh) so he won't be around. Then I realize what this means... if he's spending the night at Half Moon's (which he is... :) ) then without my sticker brother... that means... I let out a snicker.

I text all my friends.

FlamingCougar: GET THE JAYFEATHER'S OUT AFTERPARTY TIME WOOP WOOP

AshBlossom: Sounds great, but nothing that involves me having to shower again. Love ya bae.

EmeraldThorn: Nooooooo thank you got to get to the library to study for the SATs!

FlamingCougar: But... those are in five months...

helloFromTheOUtSide: Ignore her. She's Hollyleaf.

SilverSirenDressedInPink: ...ivypool?

helloFromTheOUtSide: Yeah

SilverSirenDressedInPink: an Adele song 4 ur username? rlly?

 _helloFromTheOUtSide's username has been changed to evilheroine2459_

evilherione259: I'm gonna kill that ginger. But yeah, I'm in for the party!

SilverSirenDressedInPink: Yeah! Me too!

ScarletTrickster5: aw man! ivypool plsssssss let me change ur username? plsssss?

evilheroine2459: No.

 _ScarletTrickster5 has been blocked from the chat by evilherione2460_

evilherione2460: hey

FlamingCougar: Thanks Blossomfall. U in 4 afterparty? There will be alcohol.

evilheroine2460: u no it

 _evilheroine2460 has left the chat._

 _AshBlossom has left the chat._

 _evilheroine2459 has left the chat._

 _SilverSirenDressedInPink has left the chat._

BlackBeary: im in!

FlamingCougar: coo

NightBird: ya me as well

FlamingCougar: anyone else coming? gtg get vodka, booze and beer

FrogNToad: Yus dude bring on da vodka

SqueakyWheel: will there be whiskey?

FlamingCougar: um... yes, yeah ill get some

SqueakyWheel: GR8 bye

 _SqueakyWheel has left the chat._

RedQueen: iz berry coming

FrogNToad: yep

RedQueen: i m in

BlackBeary: STALKER

 _RedQueen has been blocked from the chat._

HoneyComb: love u bae im coming

BlackBeary: luv u 2

FrostedFlakes: coo coo, back from library, coming to party!

Flamingcougar: who are you?

FrostedFlakes: OMFG im gonna kill foxleap... he changed m username rite? whz it sy?

FlamingCougar: Frostedflakes.

ScarletTrickster6: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 _ScarletTrickster6 has been blocked from the chat._

FlamingCougar: rite well if any1 else is coming just call me

MahTailOnFyre: Roger, im in dude

Lion: ya same bro

FlamingCougar: kk see you

 _The chat has been shut down by FlamingCougar._

* * *

Flamingcougar: Lionblaze

Ashblossom: Cinderheart

Lion: Tigerheart

Scarlettricksters 5 and 6: Foxleap

evilheroine2459: Ivypool

evilheroine2460: Blossomfall

FrostedFlakes: kestrelflight

BlackBeary: Berrynose

FrogNToad: Toadstep

RedQueen: Poppyfrost

HoneyComb: Honeyfern

MahTailOnFyre: Flametail

SqueakyWheel: Mousewhisker

SilverSirenInPink: dovewing

EmeraldThorn: Hollyleaf

Sorry bout the update speed stupid 7th grade equals homework equation got in the way. See you next month!


	4. Chapter 4: Something Unexpected

**guess what y'all**

 **IT'S MY BIRTHDAY**

 **september 22, 2018**

 **happy birthday to me... D**

* * *

 **AFTERPARTY- 11 oh 12 p.m...**

Ivypool

It was supposed to be an innocent party.

Just a little fling with friends, nothing special.

Sure, there was alcohol, and yes, we got drunk, but it was all fine...

Until the lights went out... gunshots rang...

When the lights flipped back on, two people were dead and three were gone...

Blood was everywhere. It was a massacre. Icecloud's body wracked with sobs as she looked down at Foxleap's body. And who was the other person dead? Well...

Me. I died. Yep, I'm dead now. Whoop-de-frickin-do. I'm watching people RIGHT NOW sob over my dead body. Sorry Dovey... but... I guess it was time. So I'm sorry but I'll have to leave you all behind...

i sit up and walk away, through the walls into another world...

 _ **LIONBLAZE**_

I'm collapsed in a chair, staring around at the massacre. The missing number Berrynose, Hollyleaf... and Cinderheart. How could they have known? This was so last minute... so...

I sit up. Someone hacked the chat. Yeah. Someone DID. After everyone left the chat, I saw a name pop up... _Guest has entered the chat room._ I thought it was insignificant, a wrong number. Hey, the username was Guest. GUEST. Someone I don't know. Or... maybe someone I do know.

"Guys." Hazeltail calls out. We all crowd around. She holds up a single blonde hair... short, but not narrowed to boys since I know a few DF workers that keep their hair short.

"Okay." I say, voice trembling. "So now we know a little more about the perpetrators. Let's make a list, and Mousewhisker?" His head pops up, eyes red, and I remember his brother is missing. "Call the police and an ambulance." He nods and punches 911 into his phone.

I grab a piece of paper and a pen. With a shaky voice, I call out, "All of you gather round. Time to find out whodunnit."

* * *

*insert dramatic music* YES! IT'S SHORT! I KNOW! I'M SORRY! SCHOOL'S KICKING MY ASS AND TODAY IS MY BDAY!

see you guys next month

Azure


	5. Chapter 5: Wait, WHO?

**_ICECLOUD_**

"Okay. So we know the perpetrator is blonde, and either male or a short-haired female." mutters Lionblaze. I nod, straining myself not to cry. Dovewing speaks up.

"A-and... who do we know works for them th-that fits-s that descrip-" Her voice cracks, and it's then that I remember we lost Ivypool as well. "Sorry. Description..." It fades into a squeak, and she bursts into tears again. Tigerheart puts his arm around her, and she places her head on his shoulder. We turn back to Lionblaze. Giant purple shadows have made their home underneath his electric-blue eyes.

"Okay. So... we have Hawkfrost..." Everyone nods. "Mapleshade..." That name isn't as well known as the former, so there are a few confused faces. "One Eye..."

"Um... what?" Jayfeather looks confused. We look at one another. Lionblaze looks at him. "The guy who tried to start a war in 1897?..." There are a few nods at that.

"Ohhh, yeah..."

"No, he was pretty lame."

"Mhmm."

"He's overrated."

"BACK TO BUSINESS! IN CASE YOU ALL FORGOT, WE HAVE THREE MISSING PEOPLE AND TWO DEAD!" Lionblaze roars. Dovewing bursts into tears again at the mention of her twin. "Grr! Mousewhisker! Are the meds on their-" His phone buzzes. He gasps. "Everyoneshutuprightnow! That's Cinderheart's ringtone!" I watch with bated breath as, in his excitement, he fumbles with it before pressing the speaker button. Excited voices ring out.

"Cindy!"

"You're alive!"

"What happened?"

But the raucous cries are interrupted by a gravelly voice. "Oh, this isn't.. what did you call her... Cindy. No, oh no, no, no. This is Ripplestar-" **(Remember him from Secrets Of The Clans? The guy who tried to fight all the Clans at a Gathering and unintentionally created the truce rule?)**

"Wait, WHO?"

"I thought he reformed?"

"No that was the other guy."

"WHAT other guy!"

"You know, the one that-"

"SHUT UP!" roars Ripplestar. "As I was saying before I was so RUDELY interrupted..." he growls. "I have your precious friends right here. Say hello, my pretties..."

There is rustling on the other end. "LION! HELP! WE'RE TRAPPED IN THE OLD ~BZZZZZ~ DOWN THE ROAD FROM THAT RICKETY-"

The line goes dead.

I am the first to recover. "Mousewhisker! Get off the phone! If the fucking paramedics aren't going to help us then let's do this ourselves! Come on you guys! Let's go!"

We run out the door, heading for 1800 Dry Road.


	6. Chapter 7: Haunted Eyes

**Promised update #1, a little early. Update 2 will be posted between dec 24-27, and the new story, which I refuse to reveal because it's a unique idea and I don't want you guys stealing it (I trust you. Just not enough I'm willing to reveal it to strangers...) ANYWAYS it will be up between Janurary 1st and February 1st. Happy Holidays!**

 **Azure**

 **ICECLOUD**

Lionblaze has turned into a zombie. He's staring out the front windshield of the van from the driver's seat, blank-eyed. _Poor Blazey... he must be traumatized. I hope I can cheer him up, even if I'm not his girlfriend like I wanted._ His hands maneuver the steering wheel into each turn. I place my arm around his shoulder carefully from the front seat. Everyone in the back is too distracted or upset (Dovewing) to notice. While I mourn my brother, and my heart has been fractured by his loss, I'm seizing the oppurtunity to make Lionblaze mine.

He stays still, gaze as motionless as the air. I quietly place my head on his shoulder, letting myself sigh into it but careful not to talk lest I break the spell. He must be under some sort of delirium, because he- I'd like to keep this moment forever, thank you... he shifts his weight against my shoulder.

"Cinder..." he mumurs. He must be hallucinating me as his missing girlfriend, but that's all right because he's touching me, something he never would have done otherwise. I kiss him on the cheek. "I'm here..." I whisper, careful to pitch my voice lower like Cinderheart's. What I'm doing is wrong, I know, but I love Lionblaze more than life itself and every stolen moment is worth it. He pulls me a little closer as we pull up to the address.

It's an oak building. It could have been a church once, but it's too ramshackle now. We pull open the ancient doors, and they creak loudly, echoing throughout every nook and cranny, a lonely melody. Water drips from an old pipe, and I see people, lots of them, creeping from the shadows to collect the water. They see us, and whispers join the _drip drip drip_ and the _creak creak_ and the _thump, scratch, sigh_ of the building. more of them are asleep in the pews we pass, old wooden benches that are falling apart under the weight of two, three homeless to one bench. I shudder under Lionblaze's strong arm. His eyes are still glazed- he must be hurting bad.

"What. Are. you. Doing?" whispers Dovewing, and I shrug her off. I don't need anyone to tell me what I can and can't do. A gray-haired man and a little boy about ten years old walk up. The man has deep gray eyes with hints of green and bright blue.

"Greetings. I am Spire." He nods to us. The little boy takes a step towards Dovewing. His eyes are a light brown- almost orange. She reaches out, but he retreats.

"And I am Blaze." His voice is high-pitched, but carries a strand of certainty. "We are not evil like those who captured your friends- rather, we'd like to help." They lead us into the darkness at the back of the church. Lionblaze shrugs off my arm with a hiss of shock and betrayal suddenly, and steps as far away as he can get. Without his solid body, all the grief for my brother comes rushing back and I am fighting back tears again.

"We think they're back here." whispers Spire, motioning to a dilapidated metal door. it's open a crack, revealing voices.

"Tell us where the Three are!" A loud slap rings out. A female voice- Hollyleaf? rings out, strong despite the possible injury.

"I'm telling you, I don't know!" She cries out as a crack sounds, and I have to restrain her brothers from running in there. Lionblaze glares at me for touching him. We don't dare make a sound, though.

"Tell us or your friend gets it!" A second female voice- Cinderheart's! I realize, screeches in pain as I watch a shadow pull her arm back, back, back... until a loud crunch rings out and her voice dissolves into sobbing.

 **CINDERHEART**

My arm...

The tall man with the scarred eye glares down at me, drool escaping out of the side of his mouth. I recoil in disgust, but immediately regret it as the cold iron presses into my shattered elbow. I whimper.

"Is she scared?" simpers the man. "Tell us now, honey?" I spit at him.

"Never." He smiles, a painful thing. "We'll just have to... take it up a notch." My face pales. _T-take it up a notch?_

He turns to Hollyleaf. We don't know what they did with Berrynose... we can only hear his screams every once in a while. I can only imagine what they must be doing to him for him to sound like that...

"Bring in the group outside the door!"

Outside the door...?

Two burly guard reach outside and pull in seven people-

Two I don't know- a child and an elderly man.

Icecloud.

Poppyfrost.

Jayfeather.

Mousewhisker.

And... Lionblaze.


	7. Chapter 8: Amazing Grace

**If i don't get any reviews for this chapter I'm going to die. So please review. I want something cool on my grave in NINETY-TWO (exactly that, yes) YEARS, not "Died from lack of reviews" three days from now. The Azureflower Fanfiction Fund for Review Collection. Only one donation per person is necessary. ;) DONATE TODAY!**

 **Now on with the story.**

 **BERRYNOSE**

"Tell me where she hid it!" the man with the scar yells.

"I don't-" He locks his hands around my throat. "You little- I know you know! Spit it out! Where! Is! It!"

He's cutting off my air. This is insane! Who does this to kids! Well, okay, not kids, but not really adults... what am I?

 _Berrynose! Not a good time to start questioning your life!_ I STILL can't breathe. I can feel my face turning every shade of purple. Black spots, tiny at first, grow larger and larger as I let out a whisper. "...far away from here there is a house... with a green roof and red shutters... it's abandoned... there you'll find it." I don't even know what I just said. The words are random, summoned from mixed memories. No house for a hundred miles looks like that. He releases my throat, a satisfied smirk on his ugly mug. I snarl at him.

A woman walks in. She has cinnamon skin, light brown eyes, and black-and-white hair. A regular Cruella De Vil.

"Clawface?" she asks the man who tried to kill me. His smirk grows wider. "We've located it. This... rouge..." He motions to me. "...gave us everything we needed."

The woman cackles. "Excellent. Soon, our army will grow greater than it has ever been. We will brainwash the rebels that dared to infiltrate us moments ago. We will harness the powers of the Diamond Seer, the Golden Swordsman, and the Jay's Wing. And that, combined with the power of the Cat's Claws experimental ray that you..." She grips my jaw in a cold, long-nailed hand. "...have so kindly revealed the location of. Clawface, please return Prototype 42 to his... friends." She spits on the ground. Clawface bows. "Yes, Mapleshade." He lifts me over his shoulder... and I am face-to-face with Poppyfrost.

 **POPPYFROST**

I let out a joyous shriek. The burly black-haired Asian holding me in his hands winces before restraining me further.

"BERRY-BOO!" Said "Berry-Boo" pales and tries to get back wherever he came from. I don't know why. I'm his destiny! He loves me, I know it. I try to jump up and down. "Ohmigosh! You're here! We can plan our wedding!" He turns to the man and says, "Take me back in there. No, wait, take her instead... I can't remember if it was the red roof and green shutters... yellow roof with blue shutters... if people still live there... I described to you the house I grew up in... I can tell you it's not what you want. But she'll tell you." What? Oh, the man must be helping him figure out what the house we'll live in after our wedding looks scarred man shrugs and throws me over his shoulder. "Come with me, ginger." "Bye, Berry!" I call out, a giant smile on my face.

It isn't until five minutes later, when I'm screaming for my life, that I realize I'm very drunk... and very, very, _very_ stupid.

 **CINDERHEART**

I can feel the blood running down my face, staining the ropes that bind me. I let out a low moan. Lionblaze tries to get closer to me, violently straining at his obstacle. He finally succeeds and tries to comfort me as best he can. (which isn't much because we're both tied to chairs.) Icecloud shoots me a death glare. I place my head against his and start to cry. The old man in the corner is tied up next to the child, whose name is apparently Blaze. They're the healers here, and these murderers have been looking for a reason to arrest them for years now, ever since the child was born. (Or so I understand.)

I watch the tall man with black hair. He stares at nothing, looking at shadows and dust on the streaked-brown walls. The room reeks faintly of vomit and raw meat- disgusting, I think. My voice forces itself out of its hiding place for the first time in an hour. It's strained and faint, but it's there.

"Let us go." I whisper. The brunette's head whips to me.

"What was that, blondie?" he hisses. "Let us go."

"No, I don't think I will." he smirks.

"Let. Us. Go." My voice gains strength. What did Admiral William McRaven do when he was up to his neck in mud? He sang. Sang in the freezing cold. Sang in the dark. Sang to bring hope to the weary in his commission. The Admiral didn't give up. And neither will I.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me..." I muster up the old song from years past. Lionblaze joins me in his baritone voice.

"I once was lost, but now, I am found..."

"Stop singing." he says as his smirk changes to a snarl. Mousewhisker joins us, harmonizing in his tenor.

"Was blind..." Jayfeather and Icecloud join in. Blaze, Spire, Berrynose, Hollyleaf, Dovewing... sopranos, mezzo sopranos, altos, bases... all coming together as one voice. We smile at each other and our voices grow stronger. Our arms are tied. Some of us are wounded. We are all weak. But we have each other. We are family, related or not. And no matter what happens... we will always triumph.

"...but now, I see." The man's voice grows louder. "Stop it! Whatever you're doing- it's hopeless! Hopeless!" He's screaming, but we raise our voices. Raise them high. High as we can, and then some. _It's not about us anymore. For Ivypool. For Honeyfern and Poppyfrost. For Foxleap. Mom. Seedpaw. For all of us._

 _Through many dangers, toils and snares_

 _I have already come_

 _Tis Grace that taught my heart to soar_

 _And Grace to lead me home_

 _When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun_

 _We've no less days to sing god's praise than when we've first begun._

 _Amazing Grace..._

 _How sweet the sound..._

Lionblaze and Jayfeather begin to glow. Gold and a sapphire blue. Dovewing emits a silver light. It's all I can do to watch in silence as their bonds break and all of ours do too. Quietly, we climb to our feet as one. We are wounded and tired. We are broken and shattered. But we will fight anyway. The man pales. "It's... y-you! Th-the chosen ones! " He runs out of the room, leaving us with each other, too overwhelmed to think about his words. We are quick to barricade the door, then we collapse on the dirty stone floor in exhaustion. Though we cannot sleep- Poppyfrost is still trapped and the man's probably going to come back soon- we lie there for a moment of silence.

Until the door crashes open.

* * *

 **If i don't get any reviews for this chapter I'm going to die. So please review. I want something cool on my grave in NINETY-TWO (exactly that, yes) YEARS, not "Died from lack of reviews" three days from now. The Azureflower Fanfiction Fund for Review Collection. Only one donation per person is necessary. ;) DONATE TODAY!**

 **"Kisses, haters!" -Christine Jorgensen**


	8. Chapter 9: World's Shortest Chapter

**I'M SO SORRY AUGH this might be a little late**

 **Stupid life. I got so busy that I kept putting this off and now here we are and ANYWAY**

 **I'm tired and I have homework so here's the update and I will see you all again in a month. Phew.**

 ** _This chapter is kinda PG-13. You have been warne_ d.**

 **Also I might end up not killing Honeyfern and put Poppyfrost with Mousewhisker or an OC. Probably an OC.**

* * *

 _ **POPPYFROST**_

My rust red bangs are plastered to my forehead as the man brings the whip down a seventh time.

"Tell us what you know or the pain never stops." he growls. I cower, feeling the warm blood running down my back.

"P-please! I don't know anything! I swear!" He grunts and the whip comes down again. I let loose a primal scream as the stroke, harder than the last few, digs deep into my skin and yanks out again. ( **a/n: wow kinky)** "Tell me!" he yells. I whimper and yell back. "I don't KNOW! I would have told you if I did!" The man stands up straight. "You're lying." He raises the whip again. "N-no! I'm-" He lashes me several times. As my vision fades to black, I mumur "I'm not..."

A man runs in before my vision goes completely dark and holds off the man's wrist. He screams something at him and the torturer runs off. The hero looms over me, then picks me up and that is all I remember before I plummet into darkness.

* * *

 _ **DOVEWING**_

We race through the hallways at max speed. Every one of us, including me, is sure Poppyfrost is dead because we heard scream after scream, then one very loud and pained scream, like a dying animal...

And then silence. We can't go back for her body. We'd all die. Tears streak down my face as wall after wall rushes up to meet me when I turn the corners. Gasping for air, I run and run about the building, my friends trailing around me, until I can't run anymore. I collapse to my knees.

"I... can't..."

Jayfeather drops beside me. "Yes, you can. If not for yourself, then for Poppyfrost and Foxleap and... and Ivypool." I wipe my tears away. "But..."

He pulls me to my feet. Sometimes, it's easy to forget he's blind."Let's keep going." I nod and start running again. But then the lights begin to flash red and people dressed in black come running out of every doorway.

"Freeze."

* * *

 **I KNOW IT'S SHORT AND I AM SORRY**

 **it hurts to sneeze tho**

 **that is how tired i am**

 **and sore**

 **pls review it means so much :)**

 **Azure!**


	9. Chapter 10: X

**guess who was home sick today...**

 **OH! for now, we won't see anything other than a shadow of our love interest... I need an OC. Suggestions? :3**

 **Remember to review!**

 **And my story... Clan High? The story with 99 reviews?**

 **Well, you don't have to start at Chapter One, but I'd appreciate that one extra review to push us over to that 100. My eternal gratitude goes out to you, mystery reviewer! Thank you all!**

* * *

Poppyfrost

* * *

The pain of my various scratches and cuts eventually pulls me from my slumber. Wincing, I force my eyes open against the bright lights above me that turns the inside of my eyelids bright scarlet and causes white spots to appear in my vision. The boy from earlier looms in my vision. He waves a shadowed hand.

"Hey you. Wake up." He looks around. "Uh..." Quickly, he wraps something white and soft around my head that prevents me from seeing his face. "Okay. Girl. Wake up."

Behind the blindfold, my eyes blink. Once. Twice. I sit up. "Who are-"

"No time." he cuts me off, lifting me underneath my knees and back to steady me, placing me feet-first delicately on the floor. I take a moment to steady myself, and then Mystery Boy grabs my hand in his and runs off, pulling me behind.

As we race along the corridor, he lifts me into his arms again. I bounce along as the subtle light changes filter through my blindfold. "Where are you taking me? And why am I blindfolded?" I hear a loud noise that must be the slam of a door behind us. His muscles tense. I smell smoke all of a sudden. My eyes widen. "F-fire?" The boy shakes the silhouette of his head. "Smoke bomb. Trying to lose them." I try to comprehend this. "Why- again, why would you blindfold me?"

"Well... they can't know who you are. They'll know I've taken you, specifically- the one we took in for questioning. I hate what they stand for. I work here to pay the bills." He grunts as we kick through another door. I wince as his nails scrape my wound. "Been- waiting- for-" A voice rings out.

"Hey! Stop!" Loud footsteps ring out, followed by even more footsteps. The boy curses, ducking under something and taking a sharp turn. After more of this, he slows down. The clomping of boots has faded. The quiet creak of a door rings out and cold air blows across my face. Mystery boy puts me down on the cold surface of...steps?Then he pulls the door shut and sits down. After a moment, his breathing slows. "Been waiting for a life worth saving." Picking me up again, we race into the night, my long red hair blowing in the breeze.

XXXXXXX

* * *

?

* * *

"How could you let them slip away like that?" X pinched the bridge of his nose. The ginger haired man (XT: the T was for his name and the X was to symbolize that they were his henchmen and not one of the other henchmen of the agency.) in front of him fidgeted.

"I... w-we..." X clenched his fist. _Fools. I give them one job and they can't even do it properly. Stars, this job needs a better requirement system. We can't just keep hiring imbeciles like this one..._

"Guh." He unclenched his fist and dragged his hand down his face. "Just... get out of my sight." TX scurried out, eyes wide. X pressed a button on his pager. "Is Agent CX ready to charge?" He spoke into the intercom. After a lengthy silence and a growl from his end, a frightened peep answered. "Well?" snapped X.

"No. Agents BX and D through ZX are injured from the triggered explosive that the escapist set off. None of them are fit to travel except..." The voice dropped. X narrowed his eyes. "Spit it out." The voice took a deep breath audible even through the speaker.

"AX. Agent AX. But sir, don't you think that you should wait? Agent AX is- well, he's-" X cut him off. He smiled. "AX will do just fine. Send him in." He took his now-sore finger off the button and laughed, a horrid sound that echoed through the halls and throughout the room. "Yes, I think our little seed and her gardener will be back soon enough."


	10. Chapter 11: What the hell is sanity?

Thanks to Jayfeathers Friend for:

favoriting and following me

reviewing this chapter

sending me his OC

and being the 100th review on Clan High!

You rock dude!

And everyone please listen to High Hopes the Megamix... it's so incredible.

* * *

Coalstrike raked a hand through his thick black waves. His feet pounded the gravel, pulling the girl with him. As he ran, his feet, well accustomed to the feel of it by now, made him feel like he was flying. He'd grown to love the feeling of running, the freedom and the escape... and the feeling of dread knowing it would end. That he'd go home, and they'd scream at him, _where did you go, why weren't you here, you could have been the death of us all, you sorry excuse for a son, why did we adopt you..._ He shut his eyes for a minute, hot tears running down his cheeks before he shunned them away against the rising anger in his chest.

Closing his eyes was a mistake.

It brought him back...

 _Mom? Dad?_

 _Empty hallway... a six-year old wandering an empty hallway_

 _Goldenfrost?_

 _Empty house..._ _a six-year old wandering an empty house_

 _Hello? Anyone?_

 _Note on the counter_

 _Written in blood_

 _Whose?_

 _Hello, Coalstrike_

 _Your parents have been taken hostage_

 _Ever want to see them again?_

 _Ransom._

 _One million dollars._

 _Your doorstep. Midnight in three days._

 _No money? Oh, no. Too bad._

 _Your parents will be dead, then..._

 _And they won't be killed quickly._

 _Love,_

 _Dark Ones_

 _Screams_

 _Screams_

 _We will not help you_

 _This is too much_

 _I'm sorry_

 _Neighbor yelling_

 _What do you mean no, their lives are on the line, how could you, people will die because of you, you will pay for this_

 _A glimpse of a black and silver tiger pin, carefully hidden_

 _I see why now_

 _Grim understanding_

 _The neighbor does not see, she pleads still_

 _I can't do anything_

 _The guards usher her away_

 _BROKENSTAR, she screams_

 _YOU CAN'T DO THIS_

 _THIS CHILD, THE FUTURE OF SHADOW_

 _HE'LL BE-_

 _strangled her_

 _Taken home, grandma's care_

 _Three days later_

 _Soft thuds..._

 _Grandma?_

 _Feet on wood_

 _Noises fade_

 _Door open? And-_

 _No_

 _No_

 _No_

 _No_

 _NO_

 _NO_

 _Three bodies_

 _Empty eyes open_

 _Hands clawed_

 _Mouths open and bloody_

 _Scarred_

 _Bleeding_

 _DEAD_

 _Mutilated_

 _TERRIFYING_

 _what is sanity now?_

* * *

Coalstrike blinked his eyes open. He'd stopped running, and the girl was looking up at him. Blood soaked through her shirt where it wasn't torn.

"You're hurting me..." she whimpered. Coalstrike realized his fingers were digging into her injuries. He placed her down gently and sat beside her. He didn't usually want to protect people, but this girl was different. He almost felt like he needed to protect her. As he watched her relax, he felt his anger subside... taking moments, where it normally took days.

That was new.

He exhaled, pushing the last remnants of the memory away. Coalstrike had something to protect now. Even if he didn't know her.

"I'm going to take off your blindfold now, okay?" he whispered, voice rough with held-in tears. She nodded, and he pulled it off her eyes, leaving her pretty ginger hair to spill out over the ground. He felt a strange urge to put something under her to protect her body from the dust and the grime... but no, he'd just met this girl. She was no different than his foster sister... the tall blonde girl with false purple contacts and sharp heels... even if they seemed nothing alike. No. Like all girls he'd met... like all the people he'd met... she'd hurt him eventually.

Her eyes blinked open... large, and trusting, and... and so very green, like an apple or a ripe lime... he gritted his teeth. She smiled. "Thank you for helping me." He grimaced. "Yeah. I'm Coalstrike."

She looked up. Those eyes again. "Why did you save me? My friends-"

"Your friends think you're DEAD." he snapped.

She quieted and he regretted being so harsh with her.

"O-oh." she sighed. "Ah... I guess I'm Poppyfrost then." Crowstrike smiled grimly. "Great, so now we're all buddy-buddy. Come on, we need to get food and water and hit the road some more." He pulled some bandages out of his back pocket and reached for Poppyfrost before shying away. "Is it okay if I..."

"Please do." She cut him off. "I can feel the blood sticking my shirt to my back-" Poppyfrost winced. "-and getting it off once it's dried won't be pretty." She sat up, back to Coalstrike.

Coalstrike inhaled sharply. His own screams from the abuse of his childhood suddenly rang in his ears at the sight of his blood. He groaned, letting out a hysterical laugh, and tried to focus on Poppyfrost, still letting out a few bursts of maniacal laughter. After a minute, Poppyfrost's right shoulder and middle-lower back were fully covered, and he'd removed his sweatshirt (why for a stranger?) to cover what the bandages and shirt remnants did not. ( **a/n: ahEm, although it's not like he was looking... *he wasn't though* ;)** ) After that, he helped her to her feet. She studied him. "Something interesting?" he snapped. She flinched and Coalstrike immediately felt guilt... for what? Hurting a stranger he'd saved from a horrible fate? He groaned and sank to the ground. _No, no, no, she's going to leave me now, just like everyone else... no, no, no..._ He rocked back and forth a little to try and soothe the demons in his mind.

 ** _No one loves you_**

 ** _Useless_**

 ** _Hopeless_**

 ** _brainless_**

 ** _lonely_**

 ** _stupid_**

 ** _why is she still here_**

 ** _why hasn't she run_**

 ** _hasn't she realized WE CAN'T DO THIS?_**

 ** _I can't do this_**

 ** _Why did I save her?_**

 ** _I don't want her to end up like my parents._**

"C-crowstrike?" Poppyfrost watched the boy who had just saved her from a fate worse than death succumb to something she could not see, mumbling "useless" "hopeless" "parents" to himself. She dropped to a crouch, ignoring the pain in her back.

"I know it's hard, but we have to keep going. You need to be strong." She gave a wry laugh. "Look at me, the wounded one, the one you wouldn't expect to give the pep talk. I should be in your place right now. But I'm not. We need to keep going. They'll find us if we stay. I don't want to know what comes next." She sighed. Stretching out a hand, she leaned a little closer to place it on his back. Below the thin fabric of his blue T-shirt, she could feel the ridges of scars. Slowly, she brushed her fingers up and down his spine, trying to figure out how may there were and what kind. "Crowstrike..." she gasped. He looked up at her, a rage and a sadness in his eyes, and a longing too.

"Please don't." he whispered. "I can't take it. You'll leave me too." he gasped. "Everyone does eventually." Poppyfrost bit her lip. She made a decision right there, right then, to be the person who would stay. Because even if she'd never seen him before in her life, even if she loved someone who might sometime love her back...

Poppyfrost decided to give it all up. Because stranger or not, Crowstrike would need her. Whether he knew it or not.

She tied her hair up in a bushy-wavy high ponytail using the blindfold. Then she rubbed a bit of dirt where a football player's eye black would go. Finally, she took out a pair of large veggie glasses that gave her a "hot-librarian" look. She pulled Crowstrike to his feet. "We need to look different. We need to get out alive. You need me, whether you like it or not. So disguise yourself by putting a bush on your head or wearing a squirrel for a scarf... I don't care. But we need to leave." She smiled. "Are you with me?"

Crowstrike nodded.

The survival of the fittest had begun.

* * *

 **I know what I said about this chapter. But I got an OC, and I started writing... and it was hard to stop. I can thank Jayfeathers Friend (once again) for that. Wow. Over 1,415 words. That's a personal best for me. And early- weeks early- to boot. I suspect that now that I have a bit more of a storyline, I will be more motivated to write.**

 **On another note, I may decide to end Clan High when this story gets to the 15th chapter. I know it's already on a hiatus... but honestly? It had a crappy first fifteen chapters- the chapters typed at 6 AM on a Saturday over the course of two hours a year ago. Wow.**

 **And while it's improved... when my parents told me in September 2018 that... well... anyway (no divorce or anything... something else) I just couldn't write anymore.**

 **Two Warrior High AUs are more than enough. Details and OCs from that story, including the Ferntail plotline, will be gradually incorporated here. This story has more potential. That's why I'm telling you all that from the 25th onward, this will be the ONLY Warrior High AU I will continue to write. Thirty chapters is a good run. 100 reviews is incredible. So I'm extending thanks to the following people:**

 **Jayfeathers Friend, review 100.**

 **Blossomfrost, my first reviewer when I was a fledgeling writer.**

 **Coraldawn107, my IRl friend and fellow writer.**

 **Cheries, who hasn't contacted me lately, but who was a loyal reviewer all the same.**

 **Azureflower Fur Life, who decided I was an amazing writer (a title I don't believe I deserve...) and who was a great reviewer.**

 **Artistic-And-Wild-Justice, my close friend who has changed her username so many times by now that I can barely remember... but she's been an incredibly loyal reviewee of the story in later chapters. I'll be forever grateful for that.**

 **Mintblast, who doesn't have an account, and who reviewed and left me OCs... I hope she comes to review this one too.**

 **twistedflower, a new reviewee, who wished me solace when I broke the news about the hiatus back in October.**

 **x yaomomo x, also a new reviewer... thank you so much for taking time to review!**

 **Furyfeather, who used BOTH her accounts to review... hope you're doing all right.**

 **babypop1000, who is the author of one of my FAVORITE fanfictions, who reviewed a few chapters a while back... I'll forever appreciate that.**

 **PheonixRune, who I haven't heard from in awhile, who was a loyal friend and a great advice person.**

 **FalloutKat, an early reviewer... thank you so much for everything.**

 **Spottedice, who left great feedback.**

 **Mothstar of Cloudclan, a good friend and reviewer who I also haven't heard from in a while.**

 **Wingfur, who acknowledged my Hamilton references... she may not live to see our glory, but she will gladly join the fight.**

 **Stormbreeze and Snowfall, two guests who left very excited reviews. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.**

 **Sharpbreeze, with questions and advice, thank you...**

 **And myself (HEAR ME OUT) because somehow, even I noticed my own mistakes and pointed them out. Not like Azure-me listened... ha, ha... ;-;**

 **Thank you also to the Guests who left feedback for me. I appreciate it.**

 **That's everyone. By now we're up to over 2000 words. Wow. Okay, that's better than I thought. This started as a document I could never finish because my MOTHER, every five seconds, was like,**

 **"Homework! Piano! Walk the dog!"**

 _ **"Ok, ok, Mom, jeez... *can't get a damn thing done...*"**_

 **"WHAT WAS THAT?!" "Nothing, nothing, sorry..." and now look where we are! Hopefully chapters will be this long in the future...**

 **Thank you to everyone.**

 **See you soon!**

 **Azure**


	11. Chapter 11: Happy Easter!

Coalstrike watched Poppyfrost's ponytail push out behind her with the wind. His feet hit the dust in a synchronized melody of one-twos and inhale-exhales. Running had always been an escape mentally, but never physically. At least those years of racing and trying to just get as far away as possible had left him in good shape.

They kept up the pace for a while, but Poppyfrost fell behind eventually. Her pale skin turned blotchy red as she struggled for air. She clearly hadn't done a lot of running in her life. He pulled to a stop and offered her a sip of water from the small flask he had been required to keep at his belt as a soldier. She gasped and sputtered as she drank, the redness gradually fading.

"Thank..." Cough. "...you." Coalstrike grimaced. "Thank me when we're safe." he said in a low voice, looking around. Poppyfrost pushed the fake glasses up her nose, then turned to walk towards the shadows of trees against the moonlight on the horizon. Coalstrike noticed the blood beginning to seep through the bandages. "Stop. I need to fix your coverings." She scowled, clearly unhappy, but stood up straight as Coalstrike skimmed his fingers up and down her torso. He'd almost finished replacing them when-

 _Hopeless._

 _Homeless._

 _No one loves you._

 _Dumb._

 _Stupid._

 _You_

 _Don't_

 _Matter._

He let out a primal moan, sinking to the ground with his head between his knees.

Poppyfrost looked down at him as a sadness began to well up inside her. She wasn't sure how to fix him, but she knew what might help. **_Mom was like this after Shrewpaw died, and when Cinderpelt died._** she recalled. **_Dad wasn't home a lot because he was in the army, so Mom had no one and nothing while we were at school and we'd come home and find her like this, on the floor, rocking herself like a child._** Poppyfrost sighed. **_I could help her, so I can help him._** Tucking the loose ends of her bandages into place, she crouched beside him once more, reaching out a hand to touch his shoulder. He screamed and scrambled away. "DON'T TOUCH ME! YOU'RE... HEATHERTAIL, GET AWAY! I... I can't take it, I'm sorry I embarrassed you, just leave me alone... no, no, please, stop..." She watched in horror as he curled into the fetal position on the ground, shaking like a wet leaf in hurricane winds.

Coalstrike watched as the girl, caught between dream and reality, Heathertail and Poppyfrost, crawled over to him. He screamed again. She shushed him quickly, but he lashed out with one arm and hit her in the chest. Hard.

"Ah!" she gasped, falling back a little. He continued trying to hit her, anything to get her away. Finally, he stopped, anger subsiding. The blonde hair and cruel sneer of his older sister faded to the concerned mouth and sad, worried blue eyes of the girl he'd saved... who was now trying to save him. He let out a shaky sigh. Poppyfrost let out one as well, running a hand over her arm. "I... I think we should try to find a place to sleep. We need to make sure we have enough energy to keep moving." He nodded silently, the last remnants of fear fading into frustration and exhaustion."Y-yeah." he whispered, climbing to his feet on shaky legs.

Poppyfrost walked around for a minute, searching for a place with enough leaf residue for them to lie down. Finally, she managed to scrape together a substantial amount of forest floor in two separate piles for them to rest on. She motioned him over, and soon after he began to let out soft snores she fell asleep as well.

* * *

Honeyfern wailed.

"How am I supposed-" she sobbed "-supposed to t-tell Mom about-" She broke off into sobs. Berrynose sighed.

"Ba-" Honeyfern screamed. Loud and long and pain filled, it was the kind of scream you expect to hear from a dying animal. Her body wracked with choked sobs and whimpers. It was like watching her die. Cinderheart had long since fallen asleep, her tears wearing her out to a thin, exhausted shadow of her former self. Lionblaze was beside her, tearstains blotting his bloodspattered t-shirt. The floor of the forest was made soft by mulch and grass but was filthy all the same, which didn't help with the wounds.

Jayfeather sat up against the wall with Icecloud. They looked like twins with their mussed pale silver blonde hair and empty blue eyes. But Icecloud's eyes were empty from the sadness of the night, while Jayfeather had seen none of it... because he was blind. If he had wished to be able to see before this, and subsequently given the ability, he would have regretted it.

Dovewing was curled into a ball on the ground with a hangover headache. She remembered nothing. Her mind had blocked everything out because she'd discovered she could see better than ever before, and hear too... and so had collapsed from the strain. It had been a horrible night. Honeyfern continued to cry, Berrynose beside her, until like her sister, she succumbed to sleep. Icecloud followed, glassy eyes shutting, and then Berrynose, and Dovewing... and then Jayfeather. It had been a long, horrible night. Only time would tell if any of them would ever be okay again.

* * *

AYYE! Almost a thousand words and probably a complete thousand by now. Making up for all those 100 word chapters... damn, I owe you guys. See you next month! HAPPY EASTER to everyone!

Love, Azure


	12. Chapter 12: Stage 4

**HELLO EVERYBODY! :3 :D ^w^!**

 **wow ok**

 **chill, Azure. chill.**

 **Breathe.**

 **In.**

 **Out.**

 **In.**

 **Out.**

 **Sorry.**

 **I'm excited BECAUSE... COALY AND POPPY ARE GOING TO GET HIT WITH SOME GOOD OL' FEELINGS IN THIS CHAPTER!**

 **BrEaThe, Azzie, breathe.**

 **Ok. I scrapped the CinderBreeze. That was bullshit back in... what... chapter 2? God. No one look PLEASE. Younger me is such an attention-seeker, I swear. Someone kick me if I ever do that again.**

 **And I'm really sorry this is so late... school was letting out... my crush moved two continents away... I had two weeks of speech and debate... camp went on for a month... school started again...ANYWAY!**

 **Here we go!**

* * *

The sun shone overhead, dappling the forest floor with crescents and polygons through the leaves. Birds began to chirp, creating an alarm neither person wanted to head. Poppyfrost woke up first, rolling onto her side to decrease the pressure on her back wounds. She opened her eyes and watched Coalstrike inhale and exhale, his hair matted from sleep, and smiled. It was good to see a Crowstrike that wasn't paranoid and sad. He finally looked peaceful. Slowly, he began to stir, and she looked away to avoid being caught staring. She rolled to the opposite side with another wince and closed her eyes again to think.

Coalstrike heard the birds and resented them. He REALLY did not want to get up. Groaning, he rolled over onto his back and rubbed his eyes. Finally, he opened them against the canopy of trees and blue sky above him. Nature was cool, but did those blackbirds have to be so LOUD? He looked around and was surprised to see a girl? It took a minute before he remembered who she was and why she was there.

Sitting up, he ran a hand through his hair, then walked over to Poppyfrost to wake her up. He watched her for a minute, her eyes shut and her lashes casting shadows down her cheeks, with her long red hair tangled from sleep. A wave of protectiveness surged over him, despite the fact that he had just met her. _I saved you. I won't let anyone hurt you._ Coalstrike noted that the bandages on her back were still in place (albeit dirty and with very small tears in places) which was good, because he didn't have too many of those and he wanted to preserve them. He sat down next to her, reaching out to brush her hair away from her pale and freckled face when she rolled over and opened those startling green eyes at him. He withdrew his palm quickly.

"Goddamn it, Poppyfrost, you..." He growled. "Were you just pretending to be asleep?" She gave him a tiny smile.

"Maybe..." she mumured, but then flinched as she sat up. There was a tiny dot of blood by her right shoulder. It didn't seem to be growing, though, which was good. Coalstrike furrowed his brow. "Do your bandages need changing? We don't have too many left, but I can-"

"No." Poppyfrost interjected. "I'll be fine." She stood up completely, pulling her hair back up into its ponytail after running her fingers through it. She sighed. "I don't suppose you have a brush with you?" Coalstrike shook his head. "Who carries around a hairbush?" he scoffed.

"My sisters." said Poppyfrost, pulling Coalstrike to his feet. "We need to go. Don't worry about me." Slowly, they erased all traces of their being in that spot, and walked away from the clearing.

* * *

 **X**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU HAVEN'T FOUND THEM?!" X screamed. A-X was his best worker. If he couldn't find them, he might as well just give up. "IT'S NOT HARD, A-X! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN I KEEP YOUR FOOD ON THE TABLE?" He could hear the man pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"Look, sir, it's not like it's been hard. But they covered a lot of distance and I just started on the trail 10 hours ago."

"Well- LOOK FASTER!" X screamed in frustration and threw the phone at the wall. It cracked and slid down, leaving a dent. He groaned and slid into his chair, shoving the heels of his hands into his eyes. _If they can't do it, I suppose I'll have to do it myself.  
_

* * *

 **BERRYNOSE  
** It's getting worse.  
My breathing speeds up, slows, speeds up, catches... then does the cycle again. I wish I hadn't dropped my inhaler. Lionblaze, Jayfeather, Dovewing, Honeyfern... their heads are close together in the center of the room as they discuss. I drop my head into my knees and groan softly. I hate asthma. It's gotten worse as the years pass. Stage 5 asthma sufferers die, and I'll get there soon enough.  
Stage 3.  
Nearly 4. As if I didn't already have enough to worry about.


End file.
